May 31, 2012 Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Muhammad Ali is a hometown hero whose professional and personal crusades impacted the entire world. The Muhammad Ali Center, located in downtown Louisville, aims to share the history and ideals of Muhammad Ali and inspire every visitor to achieve greatness.

Billing itself as both a cultural attraction and an international education center, the Ali Center’s inspiration stems from Muhammad Ali’s own legacy and the hope that each person will strive for greatness. The Ali Center contains numerous inspiring exhibits, educational and public programming and global initiatives in its three-story building. The hope of the Ali Center is that visitors will have an educational experience within its walls, by learning about the rich history of Ali himself. Additionally, the Ali Center wants to provide each visitor with the inspiration needed to begin their own journey of inner reflection so that they can find and challenge their own values and character.

Muhammad Ali lives his life according to six “Core Values,” all of which are represented within the Ali Center’s walls: Respect, Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving and Spirituality. Each “Core Value” is given its own section of the museum, so visitors can explore their meaning and gain inspiration via media presentations and interactive exhibits. The historical significance of these exhibits shows how a sports legend grew from a dreamer to becoming the best that he could be, and then in turn how his personal growth helped him inspire that same sense in others.

In addition to the “Core Values,” the museum explores other themes such as empowerment, personal discovery, compassion and conflict resolution. The focus of these exhibits is to demonstrate how all individuals are linked, rather than how they are different. The Ali Center bills itself as a “global gathering place” where visitors can experience Ali’s values both online and at the Ali Center.